Flashlight and switch therefor



y 1959 H. G. GRAUBNER 2,886,664

FLASHLIGHT AND SWITCH THEREFOR Filed Feb. 11, 1957 INVENTOR HERMAN G. GRAUBNER ATTORNEY United States Patent C)" FLASHLIGHT AND SWITCH THEREFOR Herman G. Graubner, New York, N.Y., assignor to Union Carbide Corporation, a corporation of New York Application February 11, 1957, Serial No. 639,278

4 Claims. (Cl. 200-60) This invention relates to a flashlight switch assembly, and more particularly concerns a magnet switch combination for a flashlight.

It is an important object of the present invention to provide a magnet-switch combination suitable for use in a flashlight.

Another objective is the provision of a unique magnetswitch combination for a flashlight in which the magnet and switch parts are compactly arranged, yet do not interfere in the proper functioning and operation of the flashlight.

Another objective is the provision of a flashlight switch which, in addition to operating as a standard flashlight switch, is adapted to be detachably attached to a metal surface, and to support a flashlight in any desired position.

Another object is to provide for a flashlight switch apparatus, a magnetic means for detachably attaching a switch to a metal surface, which is simplein construction and economical to manufacture.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view partly in section of a flashlight illustrating the principles of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 2-2 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an exploded view of the switch parts shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 isan enlarged sectional view taken along line 4-4 in Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken along line 5-5 in Fig. 4.

Referring now to the drawings, there is disclosed a flashlight constructed inaccordance with a preferred embodiment of my invention and adapted to receive therein conventional batteries 12. The flashlight 10 comprises a tubular casing or housing 14 made of thin gage metal such as chrome plated steel, aluminum, brass or copper coated steel or other similarly conductive material, preferably a metal capable of being finished to a highly polished state.

A conventional head assembly 16 provided at one end of the casing 14 includes the usual lens, reflector, bulb and bulb holder parts 18, 19, 20 and 21. The bulb holder 21 comprises a metallic tubular socket 22, through which the base of the bulb extends, and a metal annular flange 23 constructed with a diameter slightly smaller than the inside diameter of the casing 14. In assembly, the bulb holder flange 23, which electrically contacts a terminal of the bulb filament, is predeterminedly spaced from the casing wall and in a position to be contacted by the switch mechanism of the invention to be described hereinafter. The other end of the bulb filament, that is, the end portion of bulb base, makes direct contact with the cell cap terminal of the battery 12.

Completion of the electrical circuit between the filament of the bulb 20, the casing 14, and the batteries 12 is accomplished by means of a switch mechanism or device 25 of the invention. The switch device 25 com 2,886,664 Patented May 12, 1959 prises an elongated, rectangular contactor strip 26 made of thin gage electrically conductive material such as bronze and having an elongated flexibly resilient extension section 28 possessing resilient characteristics. Referring to Fig. l, the contactor strip is disposed inside the flashlight casing 14 between the casing wall and the batteries 12 so that the extension 28 projects toward the cap end of the flashlight with its terminal portion disposed in the casing clearance adjacent the bulb holder flange 23. The portion of the extension 28 adjacent the free end is outwardly bent in order to avoid the possibility of interference with the removal or insertion of the flashlight batteries or prevent the likelihood of any member catching on the switch mechanism and deranging same.

Provision is made for limiting longitudinal movement of the switch mechanism 25 inside the flashlight casing. For this purpose, a pair of aligned rivet receiving apertures 30 is provided in the contactor strip 26 and a registering pair of enclosed slots 32 is provided in the casing 14. Actuation of the contactor strip 26 into engagement with the bulb holder flange 23 may be performed by manipulating a switch bar or switch housing 34 disposed outside and adjacent the casing 14. The contactor strip 26 inside the flashlight casing is adapted to be movably carried by the switch housing 34 by means of rivets 36 passing through rivet openings 38 provided for this purpose in the switch housing 34 and in registry with the casing slots 32 and contactor strip apertures 30, respectively. The rivet ends are opened to permanently secure the switch housing 34 to the contactor strip 26. In this manner the switch housing 34 together with the contactor strip 26 may be reciprocatingly slidingly moved as a unit relative to the casing 14, the extent of movement being determined by the movement of the rivets 36 in the elongated slots 32. To protect the finish of the casing 14 during sliding of the switch housing 34, a protective gasket 40 provided with suitable openings 42 to receive the rivets 36 is interposed between the casing and the switch housing.

As may be seen in Fig. 1, when the switch housing 34 is in the extreme forward or on position, the angled terminal section of the contactor strip 26 is in electrical contact with the bulb holder flange 23 and the filament circuit is closed, placing the flashlight in operation. Sliding movement of the switch housing 34 to the rear end of the casing allows the contactor strip 26 to disengage itself from contact with the flange 23, which corresponds in this instance to off position.

Suitable provision is made to maintain the contacting strip 26 in the on or oil position and to prevent the accidental interruption or completion of the flashlight circuit in either position. This is accomplished in the present invention by providing an inwardly extending projection or detent 44 in the wall of the casing 14, and an opposed yieldable projection or ridge 46 in the contacting strip 26 formed by striking out a tab in said contactor strip in the shape of a nose of a sufficiently small radius of curvature. Thus in changing from ofl position to on position, moderate actuating pressure must be applied to the switch housing 34 in order for the projection 46 to resiliently override the detent 44. This causes the switch 34 to be urged and maintained in the on position and insures the engagement of contactor strip 26 with bulb holder flange 23 in the on position.

According to the present invention novel means are afforded for a magnet switch combination which will enable the flashlight to be supportably retained on a metal surface in any desired position and yet will not interfere with the functioning of the switch. For this purpose, the housing 34 of the switch assembly of the present invention is constituted of a rectangular, cup-shaped, boxlike material, preferably made of a suitably non-magnetic material such as brass, copper or aluminum or molded of a suitable plastic such as nylon or polyethylene, having attaching flanges 48 secured to the flashlight casing 14 by the rivets 36 as shown in Fig. 1. The switch box 34 comprises spaced side walls 50 joined to spaced end walls 52, said walls being integrally united with a top Wall 54 disposed in spaced and generally parallel relation to the casing wall 14.

Mounted in the switch b02154 are a pair of opposed elongated collector bars or angles 56 made of non-magnetic, but magnet conductive material, for example, steel. Each collector 60 consists of a relatively short leg 58, which in assembly with the other collector is disposed in spaced planar relation thereto and forms a short gap therebetween, and a relatively longer leg 60 adapted to fit into a correspondingly enclosed slot 62 in the switch box wall 54 and extend slightly beyond said wall 54, thereby forming a tongue and slot connection. Seated within the hollow switch box 34 and in nesting engagement with the angled collector bars 56 is a permanent magnet 64, preferably made of Alnico metal. The collector bars 56, which are in magnetic contact with the magnet 64, serve to conduct the magnetism beyond the switch housing 34 in order that the magnet strength may be strongly applied to a metal surface without significant loss or attenuation of the magnet strength by the switch housing 34.

Inorder to restrict unnecessary movement of the magnet inside the switch housing, the magnet is held captive therein through the combined action of an elongated spacer or insulating filler member 66 and an elongated spring strip 68 disposed respectively immediately below and above the magnet 64 when viewed as in Pig. 2. The filler 66 is slightly smaller in dimensions than the lower face of the magnet 64 and lies between said magnet and said collector legs 58. The spring strip 68 is arcuately bowed with its medial portion in resilient engagement with topside of the magnet 64 and its ends in resilient contact with the underside of the switchwall 54. A pair of open ended slots 70 at the remote ends of the spring 68, constructed to loosely straddle a pair of reinforcing ribs 72 respectively in the switch housing, are provided for avoiding lateral displacement of the spring 68, and

simultaneously affording the necessary clearance for longitudinal expansion thereof. While abowed spring is preferred, it is to be understood that helically coiled,

springs are susceptible of use in the present invention.

*Smaller or larger magnets may be employed in the magnet-switch combination of the invention according to whether a lower or higher magnetic strength is desired, additional fillers 66 being provided or removed to suitably; accommodate same.

It will be understood that modifications and variations may be effected without departing from the spirit and scope of the novel concepts of the present invention.

What is claimed is; 1.,In combination with a flashlight casing having a 4 switch housing movable with relation to said flashlight casing for completing and interrupting the electrical circuit between the flashlight battery and the bulb filament, a magnet carried by said switch and movable therewith, said magnet being adapted to be detachably attached to a magnetizable surface for operatively supporting said flashlight in any desired position.

2. In combination with a flashlight casing having a movable switch housing for completing and interrupting the electrical circuit between the flashlight battery and the bulb filament, a magnet carried by said switch and movable therewith, said switch including a box-like receptacle secured to the outer side of said casing for receiving therein said magnet, a pair of oppositely disposed angled collector. bars straddling said magnet, and a pair of slots in said receptacle corresponding to said collector bars for receiving same therethrough.

3. In combination with a flashlight casing having a movable switch housing for completing and interruptingthe electrical circuit between the flashlight battery and the bulb filament, a magnet carried by said switch and movable therewith, said switch including a box-like receptacle, secured to the outer side of said casing for receiving therein said magnet, a pair of oppositely disposed angled collector bars straddling said magnet, a pair of slots in said receptacle corresponding to saidcollector bars for receiving same therethrough, and spring meansin contact with said magnet and said receptacle and disposed between said straddling collector bars.

4. In combination with a flashlight having a casing, bulb filament and battery parts, a flashlight switch relatively movable with respect to said parts into circuit opening and circuit closing positions for interrupting and completing the electrical circut between said parts, re-

spectively, said switch comprising a cup-shaped switchhousing on the outer side of said casing and defining therewith an enclosedhollow switch space, a filamentcontacting strip on the inner side of said casing, a plurality of rivets securing said contacting strip to said switch housing, a plurality ofregisterin-g slots in-said casing for allowing the passage therethrough of said rivets-- and, limiting the travel of said switch relative to said casing between said circuit opening and circuit closing positions, and a magnet enclosed in said switch housing space and carried thereby, whereby said switch and flashlight parts may be magnetically retained against a metal surface, and said flashlight parts moved relative to said switchinto saidcircuit opening and circuit closing positions.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,238,849 Wacker Sept. 4,.1917 2,506,400 Wietz May 2, 1950 1 2,586,265 Russell Feb. 19, 1952 2,695,949 Ashwill Nov. 30, 1954 2,772,349 Chamberlin Nov. 27, 1956 

